The subject invention relates to a seat assembly for a vehicle including a side air bag unit and, more specifically, to an interconnecting fastener for securing an intensifier sleeve surrounding the air bag unit.
Side impact air bag units that inflate an air bag laterally or to the side of a seat assembly are well known in the prior art. The seat assemblies typically include a seat cover sewn together from a number of separate trim pieces for encapsulating the seat frame and the air bag unit. During deployment of the air bag, the air bag exists through one of the seams in the trim cover.
An intensifier sleeve is frequently used to guide the air bag during deployment. In particular, intensifier sleeves include a pair of sleeve sheets sandwiching the air bag therebetween. Each of the sheets presents a first edge and a second edge. The first edges are sewn into the seam of the trim cover. The second edges are supported by the seat frame. The intensifier sleeve therefore directs the air bag toward the seam of the trim cover such that the air bag will correctly and completely deploy through the seam. An example of such a prior art seat assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,546 to Homier et al., two of the same inventors named herein.
Side impact air bag units employing an intensifier sleeve are housed within a relatively small area in the side of the seat assembly. During the installation of the intensifier sleeve and air bag unit, it is frequently a challenge to accurately and securely mount the intensifier sleeve to the seat frame. A number of different installation techniques have been developed. One method of supporting the intensifier sleeve is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,670 to Storey et al., which merely discloses a pair of basic clamps. These clamps do not provide an easy, quick and error free installation of the intensifier sleeve. Another design for supporting the intensifier sleeve is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,546 to Homier et al. The Homier ""546 patent discloses a wire interconnecting two distal ends of the sleeve opposite the seam of the trim cover. This method of attachment, however, may be cumbersome, difficult and time consuming to install considering the confined spaces of the seat assembly.
One improved attachment method provided by the prior art is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,603 to Genders et al. The Genders et al. ""603 patent discloses a pair of J-shaped hooks attached to the second edges of the intensifier sleeve. The hooks, however, may be improperly installed such that only a portion of the hooks are interleaved with each other. Further, the hooks may slide or otherwise move relative to each other such that only a small portion of the hooks remain engaged or the hooks disengage entirely. If the airbag was to deploy when the hooks were only partially engaged or disengaged, the purpose and function of the intensifier sleeve would be defeated such that the airbag may not correctly or completely deploy through the seam in the seat. Further, even if the hooks of the ""603 patent were properly interleaved, there are no devices on the hooks to prevent the hooks from sliding or otherwise moving relative to each other and then disconnecting during deployment of the airbag.
An object of this invention is to provide a seat assembly including an air bag unit having an intensifier sleeve and a two part fastener wherein the fastener can be quickly and easily interconnected to securely support the sleeve on a seat frame. Another object of this invention is to provide an alignment device on the fastener for ensuring that the two part fastener is properly aligned and interconnected. Further, another object of the subject invention is to provide a locking mechanism on the fastener for ensuring that the fastener remains locked together during a deployment of the airbag.
The deficiencies noted in the prior art are overcome by providing a seat assembly comprising a seat frame with a cover covering the seat frame and including at least one seam. An air bag unit is supported by the seat frame and is disposed inside the cover. The air bag unit includes an air bag. A pair of sheets sandwich the air bag therebetween with each of the sheets having a first edge connected to the seam of the cover and a second edge supported by the seat frame. A fastener is included and has outboard and inboard portions with the outboard portion being connected to one of the second edges of the sheets and the inboard portion being connected to the other of the second edges of the sheets. The outboard and inboard portions each include a back panel and at least one J-shaped hook disposed on the back panel. The assembly is characterized by an alignment device disposed on at least one of the outboard and inboard portions to ensure that the J-shaped hook of the outboard portion is aligned with the J-shaped hook of the inboard portion when the J-shaped hooks are interleaved with one another such that the outboard portion is securely interconnected to the inboard portion, thereby securely supporting the sheets on the seat frame such that the sheets will remain supported on the seat frame during a deployment of the air bag.
Accordingly, the subject invention provides a seat assembly including an air bag unit having a fastener that enables an intensifier sleeve to be quickly, easily and properly supported by a seat frame. Further, the alignment device ensures that the fastener is properly aligned during installation. Preferably the fastener also prevents subsequent misalignment or disconnection such that the fastener remains attached to the seat frame during the life of the seat assembly.